You may have noticed there has been a lot of discussion regarding a healthy gut microbiome for optimal health. But what exactly is the gut microbiome? Bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microscopic living things are referred to as microorganisms, or microbes. Trillions of these microbes exist inside your intestines and on your skin and most are found in the “pocket” of your large intestine called the cecum. There are over 1000 microbes in the gut and they serve different functions. Many of them are required for good health and the microbes in the gut can weigh anywhere from 2-5 pounds, roughly the weight of the human brain!
Now that you know where the gut microbiome is, you may now be asking yourself “what does the gut microbiome do and how does it affect the functioning of my immune system?” The foods we eat can affect the diversity of bacteria present in the gut. Studies are finding it is important to have a varied gut microbiome for optimal health. Some bacteria digest breast milk which is important for proper growth of infants. Other bacteria digest fiber and produce short chain fatty acids which are important for managing weight, preventing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and the risk of cancer. The gut microbiome also controls how your immune system works by communicating with immune cells and controlling how you respond to infections. It also supports the epithelial lining of the intestines.
So why does our gut microbiomes become imbalanced? Changes can occur from overuse of antibiotics, changes in diet i.e. the highly processed Western diet, stress, lack of physical activity, and poor sleep. These changes can cause our gut to become “leaky”, commonly known as leaky gut. The epithelial lining in the intestines becomes permeable allowing toxins, bacteria, antigens, and the proteins from food to leak out into the surrounding tissues and bloodstream causing activation of the immune system and the development of auto-immune diseases; Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), specifically Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis, are associated with significant changes in the gut microbiome. Genetic and environmental factors are also contributors.
So what can we do to improve our gut health? First of all it is important to get enough physical exercise, develop good sleep habits, participate in stress reduction modalities such as meditation or yoga, and focus on improving dietary habits. Your first step should be to concentrate on eating whole, minimally processed foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, unrefined carbohydrates, olive oil, and fish, if you are not a vegetarian or vegan. It is also important to limit the amount of sugar and alcohol you consume. Next, begin focusing on eating foods high in pre and probiotics, identify and eliminate foods you are sensitive to, and determine and treat any gut infections you may have such as H. Pylori.
Our gut microbiome is the key to good health. If you have many digestive issues and/or auto-immune diseases start looking at the foods you eat. Write down everything you eat for three days (be honest) and you might be surprised to see what you are actually eating. Once you begin focusing on eating a minimally processed diet you might be surprised with how much better you feel!
References:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gut-microbiome-and-health#TOC_TITLE_HDR_10
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5440529/
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